Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns visits Orthios, Holyhead

Alun Cairns visited Orthios’ Holyhead site as part of a tour of North Wales businesses that continue to support local jobs and sustain growth in the region.

Alun Cairns commented: “This is an exciting and innovative project which has the potential to provide a significant boost to the local economy. Renewable energy is vital to Wales as we look to move towards a low carbon future, and the Orthios site is something to behold. With a strategically valuable position on the island, which includes a private jetty and railhead, the company is in prime position to export domestically and globally from its own backyard.

“As we embark on this time of national change, businesses like Orthios need to explore and evolve to capitalise on new opportunities.

“North Wales’ export base and reputation for big energy projects makes it a perfect partner for closer collaboration to expand the economy of North Wales. I am delighted to see Orthios offering infrastructure access to other local businesses and, with the creation of 500 new jobs over a five-year period, the impact on the local economy cannot be underestimated.”

Sean McCormick, Orthios’ Chief Executive Officer said: “I am delighted to have the Secretary of State visit Anglesey to see first hand the work already undertaken to get the redundant former Rio Tinto aluminium site ready for the production opportunities generated through the bio economy being created on the site.

“The production businesses to be created on site will benefit from the infrastructure already in place. This will provide the platform to facilitate the creation of 500 permanent jobs locally and will support the continued regeneration of the North Wales economy.”